AWKWARD DANCER, a burgeoning indie rock band comprised of JB (guitarist, vocalist), Cris99 (guitarist), Josh (bassist) and Jeremy (drummer) is set to make waves with the release of its debut full-length album, “Awkward Dancer vs. The Harmless Devil.” The album features eight original tracks, brimming with immediacy and an unwavering fervor to just let it rip.
Sharing a unique blend of emotive rock, shoegaze, noise rock and pop, the quartet has quickly garnered attention for its infectious melodies and electrifying live performances.
Reflecting on the album’s creative process, the band members highlight the pivotal role of their single “Reel Fixer” in shaping the album’s direction.
“It got us a lot of good feedback. Because of that, we knew what direction this album was headed,” the band said.
The band dived into the creative process with a shared sense of purpose, channeling their individual inspirations and frustrations into a cohesive body of work.
“We noticed most of the songs we wrote were from a deeper level of frustrations in life. The challenge was keeping the work as a collective. Slowly realizing through each recording and jam how different we all approach music and finding compromise.”
JB drew inspiration from bands like Hum, Title Fight, Brand New and Alkaline Trio. Crisniño’s main inspirations included Thursday, Sunny Day Real Estate, At The Drive-In, Sonic Youth, Drive Like Jehu, Air Supply and Glenn Branca. Jeremy found his inspiration from the influences of his bandmates, particularly drawing from bands like Hum, Title Fight and Deftones.
“My inspiration for the album were the band members of this project,” Joshua said. “This just can’t be one of those cheesy answers when it’s actually fact. I have never made an album in my life.”
With “Awkward Dancer vs. The Harmless Devil” being the group’s debut album, the band members took some important life lessons with them, and have some to share for other passionate artists as well.
“It’s just not easy to write and record a song every day without flinching; not everyone in the band has time to do that. We all have personal lives, so it’s important to have the patience for that, and never forget to have the passion. The lesson to all this is everyone needs to own what they are doing. This is your song in your band that includes everyone’s time. So when there’s a new song, you should be prepared and own the song. You have to play like your part is just as important as the others.”
The release of “Awkward Dancer vs. The Harmless Devil” will be marked with an event on April 13, 2024 at 8 p.m. The album release party will be held at Cebu Making Space, Mango Square Area, Cebu City. The album will be released through physical media (cassette tapes, CDs, USB cards) and online streaming platforms. Also performing are bands The Midnight Greetings, Apebreeder, Hollywood Folk Hogan and Nervevineturbine. / PR